Raw milk is returning to U.S. diets amid safety concerns

Raw milk has grown in popularity while health authorities and recent E. coli reports have highlighted safety risks and questioned claimed benefits.

Raw milk is seeing renewed interest in parts of the United States. Proponents have claimed benefits such as easing lactose intolerance, reducing allergies, and improving nutrition and strength. Major health organizations including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Stanford Medicine, and the American Medical Association do not support claims that raw milk cures lactose intolerance or provides the reported probiotics. Recent reports have linked raw, unpasteurized dairy and some raw cheeses to E. coli contamination and illnesses. Key facts: - Major health bodies and scientific studies do not support claims that raw milk cures lactose intolerance or supplies the reported probiotics. - Raw, unpasteurized milk and some raw cheeses can contain pathogens such as salmonella, E. coli, and listeria. - The FDA issued an alert after reports of E. coli contamination linked to Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese; reported symptoms included stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and vomiting, and one person developed kidney disease requiring hospitalization. - Pasteurization involves heating milk to kill germs and has been credited historically with reducing infant mortality. - Some producers, including owners of Ballerina Farm, have stopped raw milk sales amid reported bacterial concerns. Summary: The return of raw milk to some U.S. diets has prompted renewed public-health attention because of recent contamination reports and longstanding expert guidance about risks. Pasteurization remains the established method to reduce milkborne disease. Undetermined at this time.